SL v Eng...2nd test headingley

First topic message reminder :

Starts tomm and it seems the indisposed Prassanna the WK is a blessing in disguise.
Chandimal will keep wickets and will allow Lanka to play an extra batsman and given that the pitch is expected to assist seamers , it will help Lanka to have some extra batting cushion.

the other thing SL should and will look at is Kulasekhara...too gentle in speeds.......Lakmal was probably their first choice and unlikely  to have recovered from his hamstring strain.
They should play Dhamika prasad who bowls in excess of 140kph.....and captain Angelo should be willing to use himself a bit more as a seamer


Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene will be unavailable for selection for the second Test, thanks to a finger injury to his right hand, which he sustained while keeping during the first day at Lord's.

He will be replaced in the squad by batsman Kithuruwan Vithanage, with Dinesh Chandimal likely to take over the gloves at Headingley. The injury will not prevent Jayawardene from batting in the second innings of the first Test.

Dimuth, was wondering why this was not coming!.
This lad is not yet ready for test cricket. 13 tests of this...... Get in, and then get out.....

Mahela Jayawardene is not a safe bet on a track like this. England would love to send him back before lunch, and then if they bowl 1 more over from Anderson, Lanka will be 4 down!.

How in the blue hell have we not picked up either Jayawardene or Sangakkara yet?!!!

So unlucky, Jordan and Plunkett have bowled magnificently

well 2 down for 74....even session I would say...there is not so much of bounce and swing / seam movement as expected .

and because pitch is not as deadly....2 wickets from Eng is a good effort....Lanka  bit too conservative.......with this level of caution if one of their openers had stayed on would have made it a stronger position for them.

they have to use the middle session and 3rd session until the new balll..anotehr 53 overs to score 200ish more to make it count from here

Maybe I'm still grumpy from the football but I thought Bell should have held that last over chance. He was purposely positioned there and should have been expecting it.

guildfordbat wrote:Maybe I'm still grumpy from the football but I thought Bell should have held that last over chance. He was purposely positioned there and should have been expecting it.

you're definitely grumpy. Probably more from old age than the football though. Surely after 120 years of following England in major tournaments you should be used to it

While I appreciate the point, Bell is there for the glance or the glove, not really for the full-blooded pull shot. Having said that, having done well IMO to get both hands to it he'll be slightly disappointed he didn't hang on.

In general, I agree with KP_f that it was a fairly even session. I felt England bowled a bit better than the score suggests, Sangakkara has definitely ridden his luck to far.

Ooo Guildford I think that's harsh, did well to get a hand on it I thought!

Don't get too grumpy over the football, well I'm certainly used to Mr Suarez scoring a few against my teams!!!

MfC - well, I reckon I've seen England win more football World Cups than you ever will!   

I only saw the last 10 minutes of play so in no position to properly judge but seems an evenish lunch score. One more or less wicket would have made a real difference. Maybe England a teeny bit the happier now - feel they'll be pleased to have Sri Lanka around 250/8 at stumps which doesn't look impossible from here ....

Sri Lanka have a good ODI record here. It was here that Sanath and Tharanga gunned down 320 odd in 37 overs in 2006 and a Mahela career best gave them an easy victory in 2011. Just don't see them having enough to win a test match though. England are still the overwhelming favourites.


Not a terrible session for SL. Day 1 at Headingely can go a lot worse than that but the openers not carrying on yet again must be disappointing. Surely Sanga is due a failure as per the law of averages? He has already quite a lot of luck so far.

I'm feeling mildly vindicated about the football: I've been banging on all year that Hodgson should try to get Terry out of retirement, and given that Jagielka couldn't even deal with a not fully-fit Suarez I think I may have a point. Was a desperately disappointing night for sure, though I haven't given up all hope quite yet: forza Italia! as they say

Mad for Chelsea wrote:I'm feeling mildly vindicated about the football: I've been banging on all year that Hodgson should try to get Terry out of retirement, and given that Jagielka couldn't even deal with a not fully-fit Suarez I think I may have a point. Was a desperately disappointing night for sure, though I haven't given up all hope quite yet: forza Italia! as they say

Don't particularly think Terry would've done as well without being protected by a Chelsea type midfield and full backs, and its not as if he hasn't been beaten by a long punt by a GK from a goal kick!!

As you say its not beyond the realms of possibility we can go through...

Suarez wouldve torn Terry a new one with the lack of cover from our midfield

Terry would have had the good sense to know that when the opposition striker makes a run from in front of you, with no one else making a move, you should go with him... England's midfield looked sat plenty deep to me (my main gripe about the first half was the massive distance between the front four and back six, it got slightly better in the second half as Henderson and the FBs were allowed a bit more to roam forward, but..).

I think my main disappointment was the manner of the defeat: aside from a decent 20-25 minute spell in the second half it was back to timid old England. We simply don't have the defensive players to play like that!!

anyway, back to the cricket

Moeen on

odd.

Olly wrote:I personally believe unless its a ridiculously obvious bowl first day, you should always bat first if you win the toss, and as such am disappointed England are not

Hi Olly - apologies if you know this story which I've told before but I like it!   

When David 'Bumble' Lloyd was appointed Lancs' captain in the early '70s, he spoke to Cyril Washbrook, the county's first professional captain twenty years earlier. Cyril advised Bumble along these lines, ''When you win the toss, you have two choices. Bat. Or think about it and then bat!''

As I've discussed with Mike, I appreciate that's not the modern way (ie for those under 120 ) and, even I wouldn't go as far as Cyril, but I do understand where he was coming from.

Moeen just an over to switch Plunkett to the other end

Guildford I've not seen that anecdote before, very good! I do know you believe like myself in batting first!

Was a little turn in that moeen over, not encouraging considering Herath last on here!!!

Oh dear Matt Prior

Oh dear oh dear oh dear

oh my word, Matt Prior. He's struggled today with the ball seeming to wobble a little after it passes the bat, but there's no excuse for that one...

The real Matthew Prior's back!

Gotta feel for Liam Plunkett. Making his comeback to Test cricket, bowling his heart out on those dead pitches.

Dropping the greatest flat track bully in Test history might come back to bite England

watch Sanga go on to score big runs now. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Poor Plunkett, bowling such a good spell...

and Plunkett does get a wicket, Jayawardene edges and Jordan takes a fine catch at second slip! Just reward for Plunkett, England needed that

For some reason the umpires check for the no-ball, but that's not even close...

Plunkett on fire!!!

On a hat trick!!

Awful technique in these conditions yet again from the hometown bully.

Thirimane survives Anderson, but only because Plunkett gets him first ball. Sharp short ball, gloves it straight to short-leg for the easiest of catches, and Plunkett is on a hattrick. Superb bowling

First baller for Thirimanne. At least he didn't get out to Anderson..

ShankyCricket wrote:Awful technique in these conditions yet again from the hometown bully.

Pretty much sums up the entire Sri Lankan batting line up...

Wouldn't be surprised to see Sri Lanka play Bangladesh in a 5 Test series to boost their averages again...

Plunkett shows the value of pace......to those who argue line, length and movement is sufficient.

all of that at faster speeds is even better.

Eng has so far picked wickets in batches of two each.....

if they take even one more on the next hour...then they have their nose ahead

England will be very happy with that hour. They conceded a few more runs but picked up one important wicket and the bunny. One or two more before tea and England will be in a very good position.

Another half-century for Kumar Sangakkara.

50 partnership between these two, in very quick time too. Ball getting a bit older, softer, and Moeen just not good enough so far, too short.

the 50 partnership up between Sanga and the captain.

and Anderson gets Matthews, just feeling for one outside off stump and nicks it to Ballance who clings on to a good low catch. Important wicket for England, they'd love another before tea.

Decent day so far. Just kept chipping away.

Sri Lanka need their last recognized pair to put on a significant partnership if they have to put up a decent total on the board. At 164-5, they are in serious trouble.

Gerry SA wrote:

ShankyCricket wrote:Awful technique in these conditions yet again from the hometown bully.

Pretty much sums up the entire Sri Lankan batting line up...

Wouldn't be surprised to see Sri Lanka play Bangladesh in a 5 Test series to boost their averages again...

But Mahela's incompetence in these conditions is on another level.... Sanga, Kaushal, Mathews and even Chandimal are pretty decent against fast bowling. Thirimanne just freezes at the sight of Anderson.

but Thirimane didn't even see Anderson today

I just don't really rate Thirimane, completely average player, SL would be infinitely better with Chandimal in there.

Another sitter grassed!

while it wasn't the easiest catch, I think your backward point should probably catch that more often than not. yes it was hit hard, but you have to expect that in that position. I've not so far been overly impressed with what I've seen of Moeen's fielding...

Sanga on 58-4

guildfordbat wrote:Another sitter grassed!

Corr bee in your bonnet today Mr Bat!! 

Half chance, didn't stick. If only the England football team had the luck Sangakkara is getting today!

Mad for Chelsea wrote:but Thirimane didn't even see Anderson today

I just don't really rate Thirimane, completely average player, SL would be infinitely better with Chandimal in there.

He has done well in limited overs cricket in recent times. Probably not test class though he did play a very good innings in Australia in the 3rd Test at Sydney in early 2013 after the team had been walloped in the first couple of tests and having arrived in the country less than 72 hours before the start of the match after not being in the original squad.

Sri Lanka go to tea at 182-5. They scored a few more than they did in the first session, but the 3 wickets make it England's session.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:but Thirimane didn't even see Anderson today

I just don't really rate Thirimane, completely average player, SL would be infinitely better with Chandimal in there.

Can't agree more. Thirimanne is a less than average, non-international standard player. Averages 29 after 11 tests and about the same in 68 ODIs. Can score a few in flat conditions, but give him a pitch with a hint of life and he's a sitting duck. If the likes of Kathuruwan Vithanage are considered not ready for test cricket, they can play an all-rounder like Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera or Chathuranga disilva at 7 and promote Chandimal to 5. Will bring some value to the side.

Olly wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Another sitter grassed!

Corr bee in your bonnet today Mr Bat!! 

Half chance, didn't stick. If only the England football team had the luck Sangakkara is getting today!

To be fair, Olly, I was rather playing to the 606 v2 crowd there!   

Glad you liked the earlier story about the advice offered to Bumble on winning the toss. I'm also very much in favour of enforcing the follow on when you can - something even more out of favour with those under 120!   

Overrate not great again. The ICC will have to do something drastic about this. At least a better show from Cook's team, going by this rate, they should be able to bowl all the overs by extra time.

msp83 wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:but Thirimane didn't even see Anderson today

I just don't really rate Thirimane, completely average player, SL would be infinitely better with Chandimal in there.

Can't agree more. Thirimanne is a less than average, non-international standard player. Averages 29 after 11 tests and about the same in 68 ODIs. Can score a few in flat conditions, but give him a pitch with a hint of life and he's a sitting duck. If the likes of Kathuruwan Vithanage are considered not ready for test cricket, they can play an all-rounder like Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera or Chathuranga disilva at 7 and promote Chandimal to 5. Will bring some value to the side.

I guess so. I'd drop Mahela too. He has scored 1 test hundred over the last 2 and a half years and 2 half centuries in his last 20 ODIs. Completely passed it. And of course, he has always been useless outside the subcontinent even in his prime.

ShankyCricket wrote:

msp83 wrote:

Mad for Chelsea wrote:but Thirimane didn't even see Anderson today

I just don't really rate Thirimane, completely average player, SL would be infinitely better with Chandimal in there.

Can't agree more. Thirimanne is a less than average, non-international standard player. Averages 29 after 11 tests and about the same in 68 ODIs. Can score a few in flat conditions, but give him a pitch with a hint of life and he's a sitting duck. If the likes of Kathuruwan Vithanage are considered not ready for test cricket, they can play an all-rounder like Thisara Perera, Dilruwan Perera or Chathuranga disilva at 7 and promote Chandimal to 5. Will bring some value to the side.

I guess so. I'd drop Mahela too. He has scored 1 test hundred over the last 2 and a half years and 2 half centuries in his last 20 ODIs. Completely passed it. And of course, he has always been useless outside the subcontinent even in his prime.

It's all good and well saying drop Mahela, but who's the replacement?

Thirimanne is hailed as their next big thing, he's absolutely terrible.